Window-mounted ventilating apparatus



A ril 25, 1967 J. J. HORAN 3,315,587

WI NDOW-MOUNTED VENT ILAT ING APPARATUS Filed June 28, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet 1 I 4 INVEN OR. 4 JOHN J. HORANT April 25, 1967 J. J. HORANWINDOW-MOUNTED VENTILATING APPARATUS Filed June 28, 1965 V 2 Sheets$heet2 IN VEN TOR.

JOHN J. HORAN United States Patent 3,315,587 WINDOW-MOUNTED VENTILATINGAPPARATUS John J. Horan, 420 Quigley Ave.,

Willow Grove, Pa. 19090 Filed June 28, 1965, Ser. No. 467,272 9 Claims.(Cl. 98-94) This invention relates to portable fan appartaus having oneor more contained centrifugal fans or blowers and suitable for eitherpermanent or temporary installation as a window-mounted ventilator.

The usual window ventilator houses an exhaust fan of the impeller type.These function quite well when properly fitted. However, it is not easyto adapt stock sizes of these fans to fit a wide range of windows; andthe in-' stallation and removal of these fans is usually troublesome forthe householder, who usually needs an assortment of tools and someskills, particularly for the initial installation. Such fans, oncecustom-fitted to a particular window, are generally thereafter limitedto use in that window.

The operations of closing the window with the coming of rain and openingit again afterwards are fraught with much bother if the usual fan has tobe removed, assuming, of course, that the householder is at home toremove it when the rain begins. Since windows equipped with conventionalfans are not conveniently lockable with the fan in place, burglars canspot handy places of entry before even approaching the house. Moreover,nothing so detracts from the charm of a well decorated room as does thesilhouette of one or more large fans blocking out most of thewindow-pane area.

Other configurations of ventilating apparatus have been tried but havefound relatively little acceptance.

It is an object of this invention to provide windowventilating apparatusthat is readily adjustable over a reasonably wide range of sizeswith aminimum of skill, effort, time consumption, tools, or parts kits.

It is an object of this invention to provide a windowventilatingapparatus that can be quickly removed and reinstalled or transferred toanother window.

Another object is to provide ventilating apparatus that will render itunnecessary to close the windows during storms and will readily lock inplace as a protection against burglars.

. An important object of this invention is to provide suflicientpower-handling and air-moving capacity in a compact ventilatingapparatus of low height which can be rested unobtrusively on the windowsill without blocking the view or cutting off the access of daylight tothe room.

It is an object of this invention to provide means for varying theamount of air moved without raising the pitch of the sound produced.

It is an object of my invention to secure these advantages without theusual penalty of sacrifice of capacity.

Other objects and novel features will be brought out in thespecification, in the claims, and in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partly cut away side elevation of one of the individual fanassemblies in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of this fan assembly from above;

FIG. is a view of the same fan assembly from behind;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a casing that combines and transforms one ortwo fan assemblies into a windowventilating apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the casing of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view from behind (indoors) of the casing of FIG. 4 fittedwith two fan assemblies;

3,315,587 Patented Apr. 25, 1967 FIG. 7 is a view of the hook used inother figures;

FIG. 8 is an illustration of an alternative baflie arrange ment;

FIG. 9 is an oblique view of a casing capable of admitting either two orthree fan assemblies.

FIG. 10 is an oblique view of another alternative embodiment.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 3, there is shown a sheet-metalenclosure 21, which contains a centrifugal blower-type fan 22,'driVen byan electric motor 23, shown dotted in FIG. 1. Although the fan 22 may becarried by a structure extending from either end or both ends of themotor, it is preferably balanced and secured to the motor 23 at theupper end only. Such structure is well adapted to the so-called insideout motors which have a rotating outer element instead of a rotatingshaft; but several different arrangements for top mounting of fans arealso possible, even for motors having rotating shafts. The wheel ispreferably suspended at the top to avoid, as an extra safeguard, havingblades or blower spokes spinning past the air-entry port 25 below theinterior zone of the centrifugal fan. If such relationship is notobjected to, or if a screen or grill across the port 25 is consideredadequate protection, any mounting structure will do. Instead of thesquirrel-cage or blower type of fan shown for example in FIG. 1, apaddle-wheel type of centrifugal fan may be used.

The motor and support structure projects upward and is secured withinprojection 24 of enclosure 21. The four dotted outlines in FIG. 2indicate the hidden outline of motor 23, intake port 25 below theinterior zone of the fan, and the outlines of a squirrel-cage fan 22.The gap seen between the wallof enclosure2l and fan 22 is the air gapleading to discharge opening 36, which usually faces outdoors, sinceexhaust-fan service is generally preferred. Screws 26 permit a grille tobe fastened across entry port 25. Part of the wall of port 25 isextended downward 27 and bent over into a lip 28, to which a nut 29 isprojection-welded. Clamping screw 30 will engage a window sill frombelow if desired.

Nut 32 is free to slide along the length of'slot 31 in an extension offairing 35, which squares off to the left and to the rear the curvature-of enclosure 21. .Use of a fairing is not vital to the apparatus, butit makes it assemble better and look better. The unit shown is aleft-hand assembly because its squared-off fairing is at left. Dischargeopening 36may be to the left or right, depending on motor-rotation andsymmetry considerations.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 through 7, casing means 39 has, as itsprincipal member 40, a wide, generally J- shaped sheet-metal or plasticform, which is partly closed on the outdoor side or face and on thebottom midway between the ends by a relatively narrow J-shaped strap 45.Casing. 39 admits fan assembly 42, described under FIGS. 1 to 3, at itsleft end and a fan assembly 41 at its right end, the latter preferablyhaving a right-hand fairing. Both assemblies 42, 41, are shown in FIG.6, projecting from opposite ends of casing 39.

The projection 24 of fan assembly 42 is free to move within slideway 43,which, together with other abutting surfaces in casing 39, serves asguidance surface for fan assembly 42. A similar projection on fanassembly 41 can be moved along the right end of the same slideway 43.Fan assemblies 41 and 42 may be slid the proper distance apart withincasing 39 to that their outer flanks lie against the stops on the jambsof the window opening where the ventilator is to be installed. Slidingnut 32 and the corresponding nut on fan assembly 41 can each bepositioned opposite an appropriate one of the holes 48, 48 on the indoorface of the casing 39; and the-thumbblies, strap .45 will be entry portsbelow the ting 39 from opposite sides.

. wide window,

zlone of the centrifugal fan.

. ing. The hooks 44 may then be engaged through a screw- 'eye 46 driveninto the windowsash, or a screweye 54 driven into the jamb, or both, asseen in, FIG. '6, thus locking both 'the window and the ventilator. Theentire assembly or apparatus may be further secured, if desired, bymeans of thumbscrews 30 which bear against the underside of the sill,and where shownin FIGS. 1 and 3.

'When only a single fan 'assembly42 is to be installed in casing 39, aclosure plate 38, shown dotted in FIG. 4, may close ofithe right end ofcasing'39.. In such case fingers 11, 12, which may be part of 'platebaffle 38, will fit between the parting stop and the sash stops of thewindow jamb to prevent mischievous dislodgement of the apparatus fromoutdoors. Plate 38 may, optionally, be 7 7 formed integrally with eithermember 40 or strap 45, seen V in FIG. 5. Similarly, fingers 13, 14,projecting from en- *elosure 21 as in FIG. 2, afford an alternativepositioning V means for the left end of the apparatus.

It will be noted from FIG. 6 that the range of adjustment permitted bythe employment of casing 39 to position the two fan assemblies 42, 41amounts to more than 0 the'width of an individual fan assembly. Fandiameters foot or even. more may be employed without undue sill overhanginto the room; so the adjustability and air-delivery capacity of theapparatus can be surprisingly large, even when the casing is veryshallow. The shallow casing may serve as a window shelf for plants,knick.

knacks, etc., so its aesthetic acceptability further distinguishes itfrom the prior art.

When the casing is configured for accepting two assemjust wide enoughtoavoid blocking interior zones of the 'fan assemblies 42,41 when theseare telescoped completely into the eas- Str-ap 45 will not be wideenough to keep short-circuiting air from blowing back 'into the room viablies 42, 41 when they, have beenadjusted for fitting a r i as in FIG.6, unless supplemental bafile means is available, such as baflle 33.Sliding this bafile 33 under strap 45, as seen inFIG. 4, partly with theaid of dashed lines, permits its engagement, 'via its' central 5o 7hole,with pan-head screw 52 of strap 45. Bafile 33 may beof thin metal,bre'akably scoredat marks 34, or of individual thin plates linked atmarks 34 by'adhesively bonded vinyl plastic hinges, or it maybetelescopic or of 7 other appropriate structure;

' propr iate mark 34 wheneveroneor more of its segments It may be foldedat an ap- 55 begins to interfere with the positioning of a fan assembly.21 or lies in wayof upward access of air into the interior V Switches51,51, control the individual fan assemblies 42, 41. f i vAlternatively, the exposed ends of bathe 33 may be integral with strapand project in the same manner th'ere-. from. Again, alternatively,a'siniilar bathe structure may branch off each of the fan assemblies asseen in FIGS. 2

V and 3. .Score marks or folds 49 would permit length ad- 5 justmentthere also. Supplementary bafiles and adjustable features can bedispensed with when the range of window 7 openings is kept small.

Asshown in FIG. 8, a single flexible type of supple ment-ary bafile'SSmay augment the ant-i-counterfiow fune- '70 tion performed by thesheet-metal'portions of the fan assemblies and the b'afiie-casing means,this terminology being interchangeable herein with casing whenever thelatter word appears herein. Bafile is of flexible plastic or heavyfabric, wit-l1 the ends thereof connecting the two 75 placement thereinof fan the spacebetween the two fanasse'm- 5.

FIG. 9 is much like assembly 62 admitted via either end and a third fanasi sembly wholly inside the longbaflie casing means be- V Rigidguidance, which allows greater overhang of fan assemblies beyondtheendstween the other fan assemblies.

of bathe casing means 60, derives fromthe forming of lips 63, 64 on thebafile casing means, into which'tabs 65, 66 on the fan assemblies 61, 62fit snugly. Between the" end fan assemblies 61, 62 and the middle fanassembly (where used), or between the fan assemblies and the under partsof bathe casing means, other supplementary baffle means, suchas thoseseen previously (33, 34 or 48, 49 or i 55) are again provided. Switchplate 67 has an individual switch for each of the three fan assemblies.

Thumb screws 47, hooks 44, holes for hooks 50,.etc.,

may be like similarly numbered parts seen'pre viously. However, asnumbered at the left ofFIG. 9, and seenat both ends, optional orsupplemental means of locking the i apparatus to a window opening .isseen. It consists of. alignment fork 68, with 2 rows of holes, anyopposite; pair.

of which may be secured with screws 69 to casing 60.

More guidance and apparatus stiffness is obtained when Y stud 71 on fanassembly 61'rides between prongs 70,

at the right of FIG. 9 is similar.

Referring now to FIG. 10, in this similarly functioning ventilatingapparatus, some of the functions of prior bathe 7 casing means 39 and 60are, performed by sleeve-'typecas} ing means 80, which is seen attachedat multiple points g X to left-hand fan assembly 81.; Attachment may bepermanent by spot-weldingor it may be, by means of screws fitting intotapped holes in 7 81. 'Several parallelrowsl of clearance holes forscrews wise to shell'84, which the bathe casing means directly.

, of fork 68. Prongs 70 may fit between the parting stop and the twowindow stops of the jamb. The arrangement the skin of fan assembly. Z

in sleeve will permit limited adjustment of depth of i assembly 81.Rightehand fan assembly 82 is optionally secured by screws 83, 83iendslides within sleeve-type baflie; fc'asingmeans 80 to give'an apparatusof .adjustable'over- =all width for adaptability to a range of windowlsizesfi' For augmenting the range to include e'ven'narrower windows, shell84 may be omitte'ch fan 'assembly 82 'thenienterin'g v 'blies'81; 82,provide means for'locating andflockingto parting stops and window stops.Alternatively, ofcourse, 'f 'hooks, screws, etc., as seen inpriorfigu'res, maybe used,

or they may supplement the means presently shown;

Itwill be obvious. that various combinations.of fanf f assemblies .andbathe-casing structure can'befrnade by' H anyone after this disclosureandithat such devices will;bef within its scope. Likewise, variouscombinations'of strucold art without departing from the scope of thisinvention.

It is, accordingly,"intendedimthe appende'd'claims to cover suchequivalents as may fall'within of my invention and without thepriorlart. I wish it to be shown or described or specifically covered byclaims. I Therefore, I claim:

- ture shown hereinmay in turn be combined wit-h various: y

the' true scope 1. A ventilating apparatus adapted for adjustably fitted7 installation in window openings withina predictable range, i

of widths, v

said apparatus having a relatively flat upper surface porwindow mayrest,

tion upon which a bottom edge of a vertically sliding said apparatuscomprising at least one centrifugal fan assembly and a baflle casing,said fan assembly containing:

an electric motor having a vertical axis;

a centrifugal fan driven by said motor and rotating in a horizontalplane;

and an enclosure including a discharge opening the-rein,

a bulkhead portion of said enclosure and the peripheral portion of saidfan having a clearance gap therebetween,

said bulkhead portion constricting said gap adjacent one boundary ofsaid discharge opening,

whereby substantial movement of air from said discharge opening intosaid gap is prevented,

said bulkhead portion continuing around said fan in the direction ofrotation thereof and terminating at a coacting boundary of saiddischarge opening,

said enclosure being open below the interior zone of said centrifugalfan,

' whereby air may be sucked up from below into the said interior zoneand expelled from said fan through said discharge opening via said gap,

said fan assembly and baflle casing being arrayed sideby-side forplacement across such openings,

the proximate sides of said bafl'le casing and said fan assembly beingmutually joined,

said apparatus further comprising adjustment means for selectivelyvarying the effective width of said baffle casing relative to said fanassembly,

whereby said bafile casing constitutes an adjacent housing adjustablysupplementing the width of said fan assembly to fit window openingswithin said range.

2. A ventilating apparatus as in claim 1,

said baflle casing means having an opening at the opposite end thereof,

said end opening being proportioned to admit at least a portion of asecond fan assembly at said opposite end,

said apparatus including a second fan assembly adapted to fit said endopening.

3. A ventilating apparatus as in claim 1,

having also fastening means adapted to secure said fan assembly to saidbaflle casing means against relative motion thereof,

whereby the said apparatus may be fixed in adjustment to the width of awindow opening.

4. A ventilating apparatus as in claim 1,

wherein at least one of said fan assembly and said 'bafile casing meanshas a short projection extending outwardly endwise therefrom,

said projection being of a size and location suitable for fitmentbetween sash-guiding stops of an abutting window jamb.

5. A ventilating apparatus as in claim 1,

having fastening means for securing a vertically movable Window downagainst said upper surface portion.

6. A ventilating apparatus as in claim 1,

having also' supplementary baffle means adapted for augmenting theelfective area of said baflie casing means against counterflow of airtherethrough.

7. A ventilating apparatus as in claim 6,

said supplementary baflle means being variable in projected area thereofin Way of such counterflow.

8. A ventilating apparatus as in claim 1,

having a second fan assembly as described,

said second fan assembly being positioned at the far side of said bafllecasing and also joined thereto.

9. A ventilatin apparatus as in claim 1,

said baflle casing including internal guiding surface means forreceiving and aligning said fan assembly partly therewithin,

said apparatus also including fastening means cooperative between saidbaifie casing and said fan assembly for preventing relative motiontherebetweenafter installation thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,849,115 3/1932Siers 98-99.6 2,577,845 12/1951 Delf et al. 9894 2,746,674 5/1956Aldritt et al. 9894 X 3,081,690 3/1963 Gesmar 98-94 3,212,425 10/1965Hazen et a1. 981l6 X ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner. MEYER PERLIN,Examiner.

M. A. ANTONAKAS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A VENTILATING APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTABLY FITTED INSTALLATION IN WINDOWOPENINGS WITHIN A PREDICTABLE RANGE OF WIDTHS, SAID APPARATUS HAVING ARELATIVELY FLAT UPPER SURFACE PORTION UPON WHICH A BOTTOM EDGE OF AVERTICALLY SLIDING WINDOW MAY REST, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING AT LEASTONE CENTRIFUGAL FAN ASSEMBLY AND A BAFFLE CASING, SAID FAN ASSEMBLYCONTAINING: AN ELECTRIC MOTOR HAVING A VERTICAL AXIS; A CENTRIFUGAL FANDRIVEN BY SAID MOTOR AND ROTATING IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE; AND ANENCLOSURE INCLUDING A DISCHARGE OPENING THEREIN, A BULKHEAD PORTION OFSAID ENCLOSURE AND THE PERIPHERAL PORTION OF SAID FAN HAVING A CLEARANCEGAP THEREBETWEEN, SAID BULKHEAD PORTION CONSTRICTING SAID GAP ADJACENTONE BOUNDARY OF SAID DISCHARGE OPENING, WHEREBY SUBSTANTIAL MOVEMENT OFAIR FROM SAID DISCHARGE OPENING INTO SAID GAP IS PREVENTED, SAIDBULKHEAD PORTION CONTINUING AROUND SAID FAN IN THE DIRECTION OF ROTATIONTHEREOF AND TERMINATING AT A COACTING BOUNDARY OF SAID DISCHARGEOPENING, SAID ENCLOSURE BEING OPEN BELOW THE INTERIOR ZONE OF SAIDCENTRIFUGAL FAN, WHEREBY AIR MAY BE SUCKED UP FROM BELOW INTO THE SAIDINTERIOR ZONE AND EXPELLED FROM SAID FAN THROUGH SAID DISCHARGE OPENINGVIA SAID GAP, SAID FAN ASSEMBLY AND BAFFLE CASING AND SAID FAN BY-SIDEFOR PLACEMENT ACROSS SUCH OPENINGS, THE PROXIMATE SIDES OF SAID BAFFLECASING AND SAID FAN ASSEMBLY BEING MUTUALLY JOINED, SAID APPARATUSFURTHER COMPRISING ADJUSTMENT MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY VARYING THEEFFECTIVE WIDTH OF SAID BAFFLE CASING RELATIVE TO SAID FAN ASSEMBLY,WHEREBY SAID BAFFLE CASING CONSTITUTES AND ADJACENT HOUSING ADJUSTABLYSUPPLEMENTING THE WIDTH OF SAID FAN ASSEMBLY TO FIT WINDOW OPENINGSWITHIN SAID RANGE.